Telluride Adds 5th Day to 2013 Festival

The Telluride Film Festival has added a fifth day to its 40th anniversary fest, which will run from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2.

The festival also announced Thursday that it’s partnering with the town of Telluride to create a new venue in time for the festival with the Werner Herzog Theater in Telluride’s Town Park Pavilion.

The org said the new venue would become the festival’s most technologically advanced locale and accommodate 650 pass holders.

“The 40th celebration is our chance to thank and honor the founders, filmmakers and audience who have helped us create such a beloved cultural institution,” said Telluride Film Festival Executive Director Julie Huntsinger. “We are inspired every day by the cinematic genius that surrounds us and look forward to sharing the best of that on this very special occasion.”

Telluride’s seen an impressive list of awards contenders in recent years, serving as the launching pad for “The King’s Speech,” “The Descendants,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Juno,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Capote” and “The Last King of Scotland.”

Unlike the Venice and Toronto fests, however, Telluride opts for a straightforward presentation without red carpets or awards competitions. The organizers refuse to tout any title as a “premiere” and remains unique among major festivals by keeping its titles a secret until the day before it opens.

Herzog is a Telluride regular who was a notable absence last year due to his family’s plan for a 70th birthday celebration in Austria.